Air pollution

Air pollution toolkit

Air pollution is considered one of the leading environmental risks. Specially, traffic is one of the most significant sources of air pollution in urban areas. Recently, research on this topic has pointed out important health effects not only in the human respiratory system but also in human cognition and cardiovascular illnesses for those who are exposed to pollution. Thus, we need citizens’ active involvement to change this situation. This toolkit helps students to deeply consider how to improve the air quality in cities by collecting and analysing data and discussing it with scientists, experts in global health, and other relevant groups (NGO, policymakers, etc).

Air pollution #1 – What is Air Pollution? (upper primary students)

The aim of this activity is to present air pollution as an important socio scientific issue (SSI) both relevant in their everyday life but also, for science. This activity is facilitated by providing students with different tools including authentic news from local newspapers, and in-person or video presentations of different stakeholders such as researchers on air pollution or local policymakers.

Air pollution #1 – What is Air Pollution? (secondary students)

The aim of this activity is to present air pollution as an important socio-scientific issue (SSI) both relevant to research and to students’ everyday life. Different tools are provided including authentic news from locals newspapers, in-person or video presentations of different stakeholders such as air pollution researchers or local policymakers.

Air pollution #3 – Building the idea of pollution caused by PM (secondary students)

The aim of this activity is to help students gain an understanding of air pollution that is compatible with its scientific definitions. Specifically, it focuses on the understanding of air pollution as the presence of suspended particulate matter (PM) in the air. Students first analyse which pollutant is usually referred to by the media when describing urban air quality. Then, they carry out a learning lab activity exploring an analogy – they compare the pollution generated by an engine to what happens when a peanut is burned instead.

Air pollution #4 -How is scientific research carried out? (secondary students)

The aim of this activity is to develop students’ critical thinking about what we understand by high-quality research in science. This activity is conducted in two steps: (1) reflecting about different ways of answering a scientific question; and (2) analysing the processes of carrying out research using quality criteria such as: validity, reliability, and usefulness.